Replies

1. 
   RickL | Jun 06, 2004 12:09am | #1

   CMT is a seperate company.

   http://www.cmtusa.com/splash.ihtml

   You can find links at FWW site to tooling... go to the links page...

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/fw_links.asp

   Also

   http://www.woodcentral.com/links/tooling.shtml

   All you have to do is pick up any wood magazine for sources.

2. 
   nikkiwood | Jun 06, 2004 02:43am | #2

   Which company rules the roost in each of these categories is hotly contested around here.

   Forrest TS blades are close to the top of anybody's list, but many argue you can find an equally good blade for less money. This is true, but there isn't a lot of agreement on what constitutes "an equally good blade."

   Bandsaw blades. Timberwolf and Woodslicer seem to garner the most votes.

   Router bits: Given the growing popularity of routers, the market for bits has literally been flooded with manufacturers offering their wares.

   For my part, I try to buy top-of -the- line for basic bits that I will use day in and day out. My own favorites are Bosch and CMT -- but mainly because I can buy them locally at good prices. There are many others in the category.

   For those bits I will use less frequently, I go the less expensive path -- Eagle, MLCS, Freud. If I need a particular bit for 100' of molding (that I may never use again), I usually search for whatever is the cheapest.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 6/5/2004 7:47 pm ET by nikkiwood

3. 
   OrchidGuy | Jun 06, 2004 07:16am | #3

   I'm partial to Whiteside router bits myself. FWW did comparisons a couple of years ago, I've forgotten the issue number. Whiteside was rated at the top. You can find them in the WoodCraft supply catalog. You could check around in your area to see which retailers carry them. The website is at: http://www.whitesiderouterbits.com

4. 
   forestgirl | Jun 06, 2004 08:54am | #4

   This is the second time in less than two weeks I've seen CMT confused with Jesada.  CMT is an Italian company.  Jesada is based in Illinois.  My understand, from grapevine stuff, is that the founder of Jesada took the technical specs of CMT and brought them here to the USA, starting his own brand.  Very important not to get the two companies confused, because CMT should be doing just fine.  I've heard for awhile of orders not being filled by Jesada, though.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   nikkiwood | Jun 06, 2004 09:35am | #5

   Jesada = "Carlo" somebody -- the guy in the tux?

   For years I was flooded with promo stuff/catalogs from Jesada, and then nothing in the last year or two. I asssumed it was because I stopped ordering from them. I wonder if the operation was a casulty of the FWW router bit review piece? I remember vaguely that the Jesada bit did not do well.

   I was always curious to know what when on between CMT and Jesada. Didn't Carlo start out somehere in Florida, selling bits with the CMT brand? Right about the time everything blew, I ordered a few bits from them and they came to me with the orange parts hand painted with something that looked like Liquid Paper (remember that stuff?).

1. 
   RickL | Jun 06, 2004 05:29pm | #6

   I forget the exact details but there was a big lawsuit and Jesada had to change the color of their bits to keep them from being confused with CMT. It was ugly and unscrupulous and Jesada lost the suit.

2. 
   forestgirl | Jun 07, 2004 06:59am | #10

   Here I go perpetuating "my understanding" without documentation, but I think he started out selling these bits as "CMT America" bits, or some such thing, with the orange coating.  Looks like that suit several years ago forced him to rename the company and change the color of the bits.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   tallcorn | Jun 07, 2004 10:10pm | #14

   Jesada is now, and always has been in Florida.  The guy who started Jesada brought CMT to the USA many years ago.  When CMT couldn't deliver fast enough, he started making his own "CMT" bits in the USA.  CMT sued and he changed the name to Jesada.  The same guy, Carlos, Was the Freud router bit sales manager for the USA before that he managed the CMT sales in the US up until the mid 90s.

5. 
   Curtis | Jun 07, 2004 03:29am | #7

   Hi

   I really like magnate. ( http://www.magnate.net/ )

   I find there prices and quality are second to none.

   I've been buying there router bits for 5yrs. and think there bits are as good as Amanita. (which they also sell.)

   Ive also bought there band saw blades and table saw blades, Ive seen no problems on quality.

   check them out! I think you will be pleased too.

   sincerely.

   C.A.G.
1. 
   nikkiwood | Jun 07, 2004 04:13am | #8

   Judging from what I could see after looking at the site quickly, it looks as though Magnate is a marketing organization set up to sell bits mfg. by others (LRH).

   The router bit prices seem a real bargain -- which makes me wonder if they're imports. I've got nothing against imports, except that some from the Far East are of dubious quality. But then at these prices, who cares?

   If you have been using them for 5 years, and have been satisfied with their general quality, I would sure be willing to give them a go.

   Thanks.

1. 
   forestgirl | Jun 07, 2004 06:55am | #9

   I care, I care, LOL!  Having had a small router bit shatter while in use, I care, I care.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   nikkiwood | Jun 07, 2004 08:41am | #11

   Actually shatter?????

   I've had cheap imports where a piece of the carbide chipped off, but none have shattered (in the sense there were pieces flying around).

   Years ago, there was an import place located in your area, called SY, that sold mail order bits -- which I think probably consisted of one guy sitting at a desk, selling bits made in someone's back yard in China. It was this line I had trouble with.

   That's what I thought about when I looked at the Magnate line -- which seems to be priced at the bottom of the market. I never thought bits from this level could be dangerous -- just not as durable as the higher priced lines.

1. 
   forestgirl | Jun 07, 2004 11:32pm | #16

   OK, maybe shatter is overstating it, but I've had  a goodly-sized chunk of one flutes break off.  Can't remember who it was, many moons ago, but we once had a serious WWer here at Knots who'd had the experience of watching as a co-worker bled out after having a piece of router bit hit him in the leg (femoral artery, I'd guess).  A leather apron's on my list of things to buy now.

   None of this gruesomness is directed at Magnate -- I will definitely check them out based on the reports here.  forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   Curtis | Jun 07, 2004 11:55am | #12

   Hi forestgirl

   I was running some wood the other day and hit a nail, (sparks flew) I shut down the router and expecated to find my carbide to be shattered. NOT EVEN A SCRACH.

   Ive bought whiteside (woodcraft) and Rockler bit, as well as Amantas. I find Mangates bits to be verry high quality.

   I dont know where thay are made? but thay adverise there saw blades to be made in germany. What ever. they have quick service and high quality.(thats all I realy care about.) Why not give them a try? Ive never been sorry.

   sincerly.C.A.G.

1. 
   PlaneWood | Jun 07, 2004 06:00pm | #13

   I buy my router bits from MVP Sharpeners here in Houston.  The owner, Austin, said the other day that he was changing from Amana to Whiteside bits.  He cited rising cost as the reason for changing.  My Amana bits have performed well.  Have never owned any Whiteside bits.  I do know that after reharpening by MVP Amana bits will stay sharp twice as long as when new.

   MVP Sharpeners have now moved to Cypress TX and Austin has expanded his shop 5 fold in terms of employees, size, and number of machines.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

3. 
   Tao | Jun 07, 2004 11:31pm | #15

    

   I care, I care, LOL!  Having had a small router bit shatter while in use, I care, I care.

   Don't worry too much about it.  Router bits break sometimes, and there doesn't seem to be much correlation with overall quality.  I've had carbide chip off, carbide inserts come off completely, and shafts and shanks break.  This happpens on expensive industrial bits about as much as it does on cheap ones, at least in my experience.  The least flaw in the carabide or steel focuses stresses, leading to fatigue and eventual breakage. Worn collets , vibration, and bad bit design also contribute.

   The way most routers are used minimizes the chance for injury when something like that happens, but it's a good thing to be aware of, nonetheless. The potential for injury or damage is there, no matter how slight.  I've had somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 to 100 router bit failures in over 30 years of woodbutchery, and none has caused any damage, except to the bank account.  One of the reasons I prefer 1/2" shank bits whenever possible is the high frequency of breakage with 1/4" shanks.

   Michael R

6. 
   Pondfish | Jun 08, 2004 03:19pm | #17

   Ridge Carbide (in New Jersey).

   Their bits (and saw blades) received excellent marks from FWW and other mags.  Their prices are reasonable, though not the rock bottom cheapest, but their bits are excellent.  (I can drive to their shop, and get a little discount by doing so).

   http://www.ridgecarbidetool.com